Chapter 13 Clark Kent

Read and review, please. I don’t own anything.

Couple weeks later…

Sweat pours from her face as she continues to swing.

You need someone Bella! You shouldn’t be scared to admit it. We all do! I had Bruce! Let me be yours. I believe in you I know you can do this. You gotta be willing to give me that chance though. Let’s mend the broken pieces together

She twists around kicking at the bag.

Let Nightwing shine a little light into your life.

She grits her teeth as those damn swiveling lights spin around again. Bella closes her eyes trying to make it go away. She stumbles back again. Her stomach continued to growl. Living the straight and narrow had it’s down falls. This was one of them. Was it her electricity, water, gas, phone or food? Bella chose to pay her bills.

She takes in a breath and tries to shake it off. She drinks some water and heads to the chin up bar. Bella doesn’t remember anything after her first chin up. She simply woke up on the concrete slab beneath her with one hell of a headache. Just a few more days she’d be getting paid.

“I can make it until then!” She growls with the slight temptation crossing her mind.

“Nope not gonna do it.”

Bella grabs her bag and starts home for the night. Her stomach continued to torment her. The smell of the hotdog stands and other nearby restaurants played a cruel game with her newly set morals. Bella eyed one of the jewelry stores across the street. It’d be so easy. Just one freaking diamond necklace could feed her for months.

She grimaces thinking of freaking Dick’s face. What will it be Bella a meal for a night or keeping your relationship? A groan escapes her lips. Bella turns away from the store making her choice. She hadn’t eaten in three days. Her last meal was when Dick took her out to dinner and movie.

Bella went on home she showered, drank her last bit of milk and went to bed. The hunger pains continued to keep her up. With no possible way of sleeping, Bella awoke Harley for the night. She’d been good so far. Helping citizens only causing bits of trouble here or there but nothing exactly illegal.

A few hours pass when she comes across some of Joker’s thugs. She raised a brow at this noticing their seemed to be more of them around lately. She rolls her eyes.

“Don’t they know the boss man’s locked away. He ain’t never coming back?” She coos in her Harley voice with a grin.

“Hey is that?” One of them calls out as she makes herself known out of boredom. That and anything to keep her hunger pains in check.

She winks and blows them a kiss.

“Harley?”

“Like the new getup!”

“Hey we hear Joker’s back?”

“Yeah where is he?”

She narrows her eyes and turns.

“That’s for me to know and you to never find out.” She taunts and continues to walk away as they whistle.

“Idiots…” She mutters.

“You’re stealth mode is terrible, dig the suit though.”

She grins recognizing his voice but keeps walking.

“Who says I’m in hiding?”
“I thought you liked to be chased.”

She makes out his shadow as he leaps about between buildings.

“Well now you see me…” She fires her grapple gun.

Her jaw drops as she’s suddenly grabbed from behind.

“How’d you?!”

He chuckles and points to his head.

“It’s all up here.”

“But I saw.”

“My shadow right?”

She nods and he winks. Nightwing circles her.

“Hmmm.”

She feels his hand running along her ass.

“I might have to strip search you. Just to make certain you’re not hiding anything.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself.”

He nods but does a flip appearing directly behind her. She felt his breath along her shoulder.

“You’ve certainly committed a crime today Harley.”

“How so blue jay.”

He grits his teeth and grabs her around the waist.

“Nightwing…” He growls into her ear pressing himself against her.

“Even so… so what’s this supposed crime?”

“We’ll discuss that after you pay your penance.” He grabs her hands and cuffs her.

“I do believe I’ve been framed loverboy.”

He wraps his arm around her and zips across another building. He undoes one of the cuffs and cuffs her to hand to a pipe. He twirls her around and pulls her pants down. Nightwing’s takes his suit halfway down and reaches around yanking Harley’s corset down enough to feel her breast. Another something he never dreamed he’d be doing, having sex with Harley on a rooftop. Nightwing couldn’t get over how hot the new Harley was. He wholeheartedly approved of the suit. He gripped her hips as he slams himself inside. She let out a moan that drove him even harder. If this is her new outfit how the hell am I going to train her now? It’ll be the wrong kind of training. He thinks as he’s throbbing inside her. Harley wasn’t complaining by no means if anything her ass swaying about like a little minx. She was also dripping all down her legs. Nightwing gripped her even tighter as he gave one last thrust. A sexual grunt escaped his lips. He kissed along her shoulders and uncuffed her. Harley run her hands along his bare chest as they continued to kiss. They fix their suits back into place and help check one another over making sure nothing was out of place.

He leans in and whispers.

“Can Dick come by and pick Bella up in the morning?”

She shrugs but kisses him again.

“I don’t know can he?” She taunts and blows him a kiss as she ziplines vanishing into the night.

Bella rolls over as there’s a knock at the door. She comes to her feet and puts on her silk black robe that Selina had bought her. They knock again.

“Just give me a minute.” She calls and peeks through the door hole to see nothing but a green box.

She opens the door. The guy whose face she can’t see hands her the box and starts walking away.

“Hey!” Bella calls out.

“Hey!” He continues to walk away and doesn’t look back.

Bella sighs and takes the box inside. It was long like some sort of box for roses or something. She narrows her eyes and opens the box. She jumps back as a dozen purple roses fling into the air like some some sort of trigger.

There’s another knock at the door and she turns towards the door. She opens the door and turns to hear a loud click and a spraying sound. Bella jumps as green acid fires from the purple roses.

Dick quickly grabs her and yanks her back to safety.

Her eyes widen. Dick turns to see the entire area where she’d been standing was now corroding.

“What the hell was that?!” Bella questions.

He narrows his eyes checking her over.

Dick rears back at the box and flowers as he peers in through the doorway. He knew damn well where that came from. He clears his throat in thought and takes out his cell. He continues to check Bella over making sure none of it hit her.

“Bruce, as soon as you get this message. I need you to do me a favor. Check and make sure Joker’s still in Arkham. Bella’s been sent a message… One of his.”

Dick hangs up the phone. He grits his teeth in thought. His phone rings again.

“Bruce?”

“Joker’s still in his cell I’m looking at him right now.”

Dick sighs.

“What was the message?”

“One of his lovely acidic batch of roses.”

“Is she ok?”

“Yeah I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“Bruce…”

The phone goes dead and Dick rolls his eyes. Bella comes out in a towel drying her hair.

“Might want to hurry Bruce is on his way.”

“You’re kidding me!”

She rolls her eyes and grumbles under her breath. He watches as she paces around bitterly and gets dressed. Way to go Bruce never thought you could actually get a girl to hate your guts! They usually flock to you.

“Bella …” He picks her up as she almost steps in the acid.

“Do I have to be here for whatever you two are about to do!”

Bruce peers in at that point.

“Nevermind…” She says as Dick places her on the kitchen counter.

“Stay.”

“Should I bark as well?”

Bruce looks towards her but she quickly diverts another direction. That urge to cry hit which pissed her off. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. Bella crawls out onto her patio. She grips the bars and takes in a deep breath.

She takes a glance back to see them taking pictures and running prints. Bella half laughs shaking her head. She crawls back in.

“Why are you even here?” She says looking directly towards Bruce.

He cocks a brow and pulls her door shut.

“I don’t need your help. Nor do I want it.”

Dick shakes his head at this.

“Bella baby please…”

She stares Bruce in the eyes.

“I’m sure you’ve got better things to do.”

She narrows her eyes grabbing at her temples.

“Hey…” Dick reaches for her.

“I’m fine. Just…” She laughs again and grabs her jacket.

“Bella…” Bruce starts to say something.

“Look I get it. Trust me I do. I’m sure this only adds to your assumption about me. Feel free to look around Bruce.” She exits the apartment.

“Dammit..” Dick grumbles and rushes after her.

“Bella please he’s only trying to help.”

“Oh come on! You honestly expect me to believe that! This is just another way for him to prove what a fuck up I am.”

She grabs at her stomach.

“Bella… are you ok?”

“I’m fine!”

Bruce comes out and pulls the door shut.

“I’ll get someone to clean and bag up the evidence.” Bruce says as he comes up behind Bella.

“BELLA!” Dick reaches out as Bruce catches her.

Bruce narrows his eyes checking her pulse.

“She’s doesn’t freaking eat!” Dick snaps.

“What do you mean?”

“This stupid apartment and her bills alone eat up her income. She only has half a loaf of bread and milk in that damn place!”

Bruce looks confused.

“Straight and narrow for you enough Bruce? She’s obviously not stealing anymore. Yet she’s starving herself! And now some Joker copycat is after her!”

Bruce says nothing he makes his way to the car and places her inside.

Dick follows them back to the mansion. She’s going to be pissed when she wakes. He thinks shaking his head.

Bella groans out and rolls over. She blinks a few times gathering her whereabouts. She sighs and puts Dick’s pillow over her head.

“How you feeling?”

She flips him off.

“I’m game!”
She giggles into the pillow.

“Always thinking with your dick, Dick!”

“Ha, ha funny girl!”

“Yep! Ugh why am I here?”

“You passed out again, might need to change your title to Sleeping Beauty or something.”

“Shut up.”

He chuckles and kisses her forehead.

“Bella baby…” He rises looking her in the eyes.

“When’s the last time you ate?”

She narrows her eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

“Bella we’re just talking that’s all.”
“I ate breakfast.”

He rolls his eyes.

“Come you know you can’t lie to me! Why didn’t you call me!”

Her entire face grows red.

“NO Dick you don’t get to do that. Just please knock it off.”

“NO Bella I won’t! I won’t have you freaking starving yourself!”

“It’s just so easy for you isn’t it, living this straight and narrow path. Knowing what’s already set out for you each day you wake!”

“You honestly think that? Baby I’ve been doing this for years. It took a lot to get where I am now and even now I’ve my moments. Trust me I’m far from perfect and there’s nothing easy about it.”

Her tummy rumbles again. Her lips are chapped from dehydration.

“Come…” He takes her hand and starts leading her towards the dining room.

“I’m not a charity case!”
He ignores her dragging her along.

“Please just stop! Don’t you think I’ve been humiliated enough?”

He stops in his tracks and rears back.

“I get it ok! I don’t need it shoved in my face!”

She feels a hand on her shoulder.

“Bella… I think it’s time we had a talk.”

Bruce leads her into a room with a huge mahogany desk, assumingly his office. He hands her a photo of a little boy. She recognized him automatically.

“That was Richard Grayson when I first took him in. As you can see he’s come along ways.” He takes the picture back, and then places another one of another little boy in her hand.

“This is a 12 year old boy that takes on the duties of a grown man Bella”.

He pulls out another picture.

“This is him when he willingly morphs when duty calls to do what is right. Underneath this grown man is just a boy. His name is Captain Marvel aka Shazam. And this one here…” He taps the picture.

“Barbara Gordon our very own Batgirl. That went from this…” He takes out another picture. “To this..”

He shows her a picture of a red head in a wheelchair. “From that to this…” He takes Bella’s hand.

Bruce leads her back out of the room. Dick looks upon them curiously as he leads her to the secret Batcave entrance. Dick rears back wide eyed. Bella looks to him confused.

“Bruce?” He questions.

Bruce gives him a simple nod and continues. Bella gasps out covering her mouth. Dick follows behind them still in shock.

“Oracle…” Bruce says as Bella’s boots clank about the metal leading to the center of the cave. Her eyes widen as she takes it all in.

She turns to see the same woman from the pictures.

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” Bruce says looking upon Bella.

Bella swallows back as the woman comes to her feet. She looks back to Bruce in surprise and he genuinely smiles.

“She once thought she’d be strapped to that chair forever. That Bella was at the hands of Joker. Harley wasn’t the only one who’d paid for his cruelty. Barbara who is now Oracle was shot in the spine and paralyzed. You wouldn’t ever think that now would you?”
Bruce says taking Barbara by the hand and twirling her around. Barbara smiles and offers Bella her hand.

“You see Bella it’s not so much about what’s easy. But about what is right.”

He takes in a breath looking upon her as Bella shakes Barbara’s hand.

“Which leads me to my sincere apologies… Because I of all people know that to be true. I’ve been paying attention.” He smiles and wiggles his finger about towards Bella.

“It was your choice you made that abundantly clear. I do not show you these things or tell you about Barbara in order to course you our direction. I show you these things to show my trust. To show you I was wrong. Dick was right. That’s a very rare trait by the way so don’t grow too use to it. Everyone gets one I suppose.”

She turns hearing Dick chuckle behind her.

“He also never admits when he’s wrong or apologizes so you must’ve struck something in him.”

Bruce pushes a button and Bella narrows her eyes.

“You wondered what saved you that night… probably even forced it out of your head thinking it was a dream. But as you were watching out for a certain little girl, someone was watching after you.”

Dick himself grows curious.

Bella’s eyes widen.

Bruce plays the video of Bella stepping in to take a bullet for the girl.

“You wondered how it didn’t hit.” Bruce says with a smile.

Dick grows pale as he watches Bella check over the little girl then herself.

“Come on out Clark.”

Bella turns and jumps back a bit as the boy from the video store steps out of the shadows. He’d a smile about his face.

“Remember me?”

She nods and looks to Dick confused.

“This is my very good friend Clark Kent aka Superman.” Dick explains.

Her jaw drops as he scoops her up within seconds. Dick rolls his eyes.

“He stopped the bullet from hitting you as you stopped it from hitting the child.”

“You see we all fit somewhere in this world. But there are also some other things I learned about you. That made me put my own foot in my mouth.”

He looks to Dick and he knew he’d meant the videos from Seattle.

“You’re very brave and you don’t turn your back to family or friends. That was why the therapist was unsuccessful in what he’d tried to do. Dick and I assumed that you, yourself had some sort of ability. But that’s not it now is it? Your honor and dedication is your strength. They tortured you and you didn’t break. Even when you knew you’d be punished you didn’t cave. You stood your ground. Bella most of our strongest soldiers can’t even muster such things. I myself admire such nobility.”

Dick wraps his arms around her waist as she takes it all in.

“This is all like pretty cool.”
Clark laughs and crosses his arms. She narrows her eyes in thought.

“Dick did you send him into the store that day?”
He clears his throat.

“Umm…”

Her stomach growls again and everyone turns to her.

“Feed her Dick. That’s another thing. I will defend him in. Our home is your home. We’re a phone call away. There’s no sense in going hungry. You’re not alone. We’re all right here. There’s never any shame in asking for help. We all do at some point.”

Bella nods with a quivery lip. Dick takes notice and quickly pulls her into his chest. He held her as everyone turned giving them their privacy. But Dick and Barbara shared an understanding glance. He knew he was going to have to come clean to Bella about his and Barbara’s history. He just wasn’t sure how she was going to take it.

He gives her a moment then leads her back through to the mansion.

“That was trippy.”
“That’s what you said about the mansion the first time.”

“Well that and hearing you being called master…”

He smiles.

“You can call me master anytime you wish.”

“Keep dreaming.”

“Bella there’s something else I need to rather come clean about.”
He sits her down at the dining room table.

“You should know that Barbara and I used to date.”

Bella swallows back on this.

“Oh?”
He nods narrowing his eyes in thought.

“I wanted to get that in the clear now. I don’t want any secrets between us.”

Bella nods. She wasn’t expecting that at all and that girl was like really pretty.

“We’ve remained friends and always will be. I supposed it’s just one of those things where you realize you were better off friends…” Dick didn’t want to go too much into detail. Deep down he knew what he wanted. Barbara and he were over and had been for some time.

“I trust you. You know that right?”

He nods and kisses her hand.

“Good, let’s get something in that tummy.”

Bella waits as she tries take it all in. This was all so crazy. Her head pounded and she laid it upon the table. Her mind goes back to Batgirl then it goes back to this morning… She pieces it together and chills fill her entire body. The gift… the purple roses, the green box, and the files she’d read.

“Joker…” She says shooting out of her chair.

“Whoa easy.”

Dick places down a couple plates. Bella starts to head out of the room.

“Joker’s still locked away where he belongs. This is just some copycat trying to get a rise out of you. Maybe even a sick fan’s way of flirtation.”

He takes her hand leading her back to her chair.

“Eat.”

She nods taking it the aroma. He grins in notice.

Clark plops down beside them with a plate. Bella turns to him then back to Dick.

“That’s like creepy.”
They both turn to her confused.

“What?”

“I’d swear you were like brothers.”

They both grin.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Dick says with a shrug.

“Would you like some more?” Dick offers seeing that she’d finished her plate.

“I’m good actually. Thanks.”

He nods and refills her drink. She turns to Clark.

“So I owe you one huh?”

He shakes his head.

“That’s not how I see it.”

Bella smiles and leans back.

“Emmett.”

They both look to her confused.

“I remember Emmett you remind me of him.”

Clark and Dick share a glance.

“That’s Jake, Jasper and Emmett.”

“Jasper?” Dick questions curiously.

“Nightwing… he fought like Jasper.”

Dick smiles.

“Huh.”

“Clark is like a big teddy bear much like Emmett.”

“Jake, Dick he had your warmth, patience and he was one of the few people that really got me.”

She swallows back on this. She clears her throat and wipes her eyes.

“Sorry…” She says pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Don’t be.” Clark says softly.

Bella takes in a breath. Dick puts up their plates putting them away.

“Where’s Alfred?”

“He’s got the day off.” Dick says taking her hand.

He leads her to his bedroom. He lays her down and slips off her shoes. Sure enough within a matter of minutes she’s out. Dick puts his arm around her and closes his eyes.